Goehring {{2014isrunning}} for [[North Dakota down ballot state executive elections, 2014|re-election]] to the office of [[North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture]]. Goehring {{2014isseeking}} the [[Republican]] nomination in the primary on June 10. {{Nov2014genelection}}<ref name=list></ref>

Goehring {{2014isrunning}} for [[North Dakota down ballot state executive elections, 2014|re-election]] to the office of [[North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture]]. Goehring {{2014isseeking}} the [[Republican]] nomination in the primary on June 10. {{Nov2014genelection}}<ref name=list></ref>

Biography

Goehring is a third-generation farmer. He and his son, Dustin, operate a 2,000-acre, no-till farm near Menoken in south central North Dakota. On their farm, the pair raise corn, soybeans, spring wheat, winter wheat, sunflowers and canola. Before assuming office, Goehring was president and chairman of the board of Nodak Mutual Insurance Company and a director of American Agricultural Insurance Company. He has served as vice president of the North Dakota Farm Bureau and is a member of several statewide and national farm associations. He is also the former director of both the United Soybean Board and the North Dakota Soybean Council, former secretary/treasurer of the North Dakota Grain Growers Association and a member of the USDA's Area 4 Research Farm Steering Committee. Goehring also served previously as president of the Menoken School Board and chairman of the Bismarck Mandan Chamber Agriculture Committee.[2]

Education

Attended Bismarck State College

Licensed medical laboratory technician

Political career

North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture (2009-Present)

Inappropriate comment

In February 2014, Goehring admitted to making an inappropriate comment, which was investigated by North Dakota Human Resources Department. In an e-mail, Goehring explained how he made a "politically incorrect" comment to his staff. “I spoke and acted in a politically incorrect manner for today’s modern office,” Goehring wrote in the email. “I meant no ill-will. The complaint was fully investigated by the State Human Resources Division and there was not enough substance in the complaint and no action was deemed necessary. After the incident, on my own accord, I participated in appropriate training. It has always been my goal to provide a working environment at the Ag Department where employees feel comfortable doing their work.” Goehring is expected to face a potential primary challenge from Judy Estenson, a farmer and nurse.[3]

Race background

The North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture also serves as a member on the state's three-member Industrial Commission. This commission, among many duties, regulates North Dakota's oil and gas industry.[4] The race for agriculture commissioner took on a heightened profile due to candidate disagreements over how to deal with the rush to extract oil and gas from the Bakken shale.

The incumbent, RepublicanDoug Goehring, expressed support for an accelerated rate of oil extraction, opposing legislation that might slow down the growth of drilling.[5] In a speech at the state Republican convention, he implied support for a balanced approach, saying that "the ties between agriculture and energy have never been more important that they are today," but the North Dakota Farm Bureau endorsed his primary challenger, Judy Estenson.[6] Estenson, who was running to reform the office following allegations of mismanagement and harassment, lost the state GOP endorsement and dropped out of the race.[6][7]

The Democratic challenger, Ryan Taylor, expressed concern about the consequences of the oil rush. He said, "You can’t unleash all that oil and then wonder why the train tracks are full of oil tankers and you can’t get grain on from the elevators in North Dakota and get that product to market."[8] Taylor advocated for greater weight on agricultural considerations; he was described as "the man who’s going to bring balance to the Industrial Commission."[8]

Campaign finance

Campaign finance disclosures filed by early October showed Goehring with $339,000 in contributions compared to $285,000 for Taylor.[9]

Issues background: Fracking

Since oil was first struck in 1951 in North Dakota, over 13,000 wells have been drilled. The graph to the right shows how oil production has soared in the state, growing from 45.14 million barrels of oil in 2007, to 313.8 million barrels in 2013. This growth has brought both opportunities and challenges for the state. A study for the American Petroleum Institute estimated that 12 percent of state employment, and 13.1 percent of labor income in 2011, was due to the oil and gas industry.

The growth of the industry has also brought challenges, however, as large numbers of people have moved to the area seeking employment. This migration has increased the demand for housing, as well as police, fire and other government services. Additionally, concerns have been raised over the potential environmental impacts of such a large-scale boom. While fracking has been used for decades in the United States, there are concerns over the ability of regulators to enforce environmental protections consistently.[10][11][12][13]

2010

Goehring won election to a full term in the November 2, 2010 election, defeating Democratic candidate Merle Boucher.[14]

North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture, 2010

Party

Candidate

Vote %

Votes

Republican

Doug GoehringIncumbent

68%

157,867

Democratic

Merle Boucher

31.9%

74,143

Total Votes

232,226

2006

On November 7, 2006, Roger Johnson won re-election to the office of North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture. He defeated Doug Goehring (R) in the general election.

Campaign donors

Comprehensive donor information for Goehring is available dating back to 2004. Based on available campaign finance records, Goehring raised a total of $507,785 during that time period. This information was last updated on May 20, 2013.[15]

Doug Goehring's Campaign Contribution History

Year

Office

Result

Contributions

2012

ND Agriculture Commissioner

$3,098

2010

ND Agriculture Commissioner

$198,296

2006

ND Agriculture Commissioner

$184,377

2004

ND Agriculture Commissioner

$122,014

Grand Total Raised

$507,785

2010

Ballotpedia collects information on campaign donors for each year in which a candidate or incumbent is running for election. The following table offers a breakdown of Doug Goehring's donors each year.[16] Click [show] for more information.

Doug Goehring's Campaign Contributions

2010Doug Goehring

Total Raised

$198,296

Total Raised by General Election Opponent

$183,314

Top 5 contributors

North Dakota Farm Bureau

$24,000

Hoeven Committee

$6,000

North Dakota Petroleum Council

$5,350

Lignite Energy CouncilandMonsanto

$5,000 each

Great River EnergyandNorth Dakota Association of Realtors

$5,000 each

Individuals

$79,770

Institutions

$62,600

In-state donations

$120,520

Out-of-state donations

$29,350

Personal

Goehring has three children and four grandchildren. He attends Evangel Assembly of God in Bismarck.[2]